RECIPES

Tikil Gomen

I can’t get enough of this Ethiopian stew with cabbage, carrots and potatoes. It’s a traditional Lenten dish, but I happily mop it up any time of year with injera (Ethiopian flatbread). It may also be served with rice or healthy cooked grains. I created this wonderful recipe for my third book, The Complete Leafy Greens Cookbook. Tikil Gomen is easily cooked as vegan; just switch to vegan margarine instead of butter.

N is for Niter Kibbeh: Ethiopians often cook with spiced clarified butter, which is called niter kibbeh. You may use this instead of the plain butter.

Shopping Cart: For this recipe, buy yellow-flesh potatoes or waxy red/white potatoes, which hold their shape well in stews. Avoid russets, which are dry and tend to fall apart.

B is for Berbere: This is the signature spice blend of Ethiopia. It may include ground red chili, garlic, ginger, ajwain and fenugreek, and comes in the form of a paste or a dry seasoning. I use the latter. Berbere is also called awaze. Spice shops and Africentric grocery stores sell it. When a stew is made with berbere, it is called a wat. When made with a mixture of warm spices, including nutmeg and cardamom, it is called an alecha.

I is for Injera: No Ethiopian meal is complete without this big, round, spongy, sourdough flatbread made with teff flour. Traditionally, diners tear off pieces of warm injera to scoop up stew, in place of cutlery.